retailer reference guide

RETAILER
REFERENCE GUIDE
Revised March 2013
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Contents
BEING A RETAILER ......................................................................................................................................... 5
An Introduction to Your LSR and CSR........................................................................................................ 5
Consignment and Issuing of Instant Tickets.............................................................................................. 5
Security ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
Equipment Relocation............................................................................................................................... 5
Insurance of Lottery Equipment ............................................................................................................... 5
Amber Alert............................................................................................................................................... 5
TELEPHONE NUMBERS .................................................................................................................................. 6
DRAWING SCHEDULE .................................................................................................................................... 7
MANAGING YOUR LOTTERY ACCOUNT/FINANCIALS .................................................................................... 9
License Renewals ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Bond Renewals.......................................................................................................................................... 9
Sale Of Business ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Reconciliation............................................................................................................................................ 9
Deposits .................................................................................................................................................... 9
Remitting Payment ................................................................................................................................... 9
Floating Instant Tickets ........................................................................................................................... 10
Instant Game Final Settlement and Mark-Sold....................................................................................... 10
Retailer Request for Reimbursement ..................................................................................................... 10
Cash Advance .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Changing Your Bank Account .................................................................................................................. 10
Incident Reports ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Credit....................................................................................................................................................... 11
Sight Validation ....................................................................................................................................... 11
Redeemed Tickets ................................................................................................................................... 11
If Faced With A Theft .............................................................................................................................. 11
TERMINAL MALFUNCTION ADJUSTMENT ................................................................................................... 12
COMMISSIONS AND BONUSES ................................................................................................................... 13
Instant Tickets and Game Show Selling Bonuses .................................................................................... 13
Rolling Cash 5 .......................................................................................................................................... 13
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Classic Lotto ............................................................................................................................................ 13
KICKER ..................................................................................................................................................... 13
Mega Millions*........................................................................................................................................ 13
Powerball* .............................................................................................................................................. 13
Raffle ....................................................................................................................................................... 13
Liability Limit Alerts................................................................................................................................. 14
INVOICE REPORT ......................................................................................................................................... 15
CUSTOMER RELATIONS/FINANCES ............................................................................................................. 16
Sales of Lottery Products to Minors........................................................................................................ 16
When a Ticket Will Not Validate ............................................................................................................. 16
Previously Cashed ................................................................................................................................... 16
Ticket validated at another terminal ...................................................................................................... 16
If A Customer Disputes Your Findings ..................................................................................................... 16
180 Day Validation Period....................................................................................................................... 16
Prize Tax Withholdings............................................................................................................................ 16
Group Claims/ Non Resident .................................................................................................................. 17
Non-Resident Alien/Foreign Winner....................................................................................................... 17
CASHING LOTTERY TICKETS ......................................................................................................................... 18
PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................................. 30
POLICY...................................................................................................................................................... 31
Policy Statement: Retailers who fail to make payment to the Lottery may be charged a fee
or have their sales capability suspended. ....................................................................................... 31
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BEING A RETAILER
An Introduction to Your LSR and CSR
You will be assigned a Customer Service Representative (CSR) who will help you place your Instant ticket orders.
You will also work with a Lottery Sales Representative (LSR) who will assist you and your staff with training,
marketing and promotional support at your store.
Consignment and Issuing of Instant Tickets
The Ohio Lottery issues Instant tickets on consignment. The Lottery will also provide Instant ticket dispensers and
point-of-purchase materials to retailers. You will be called regularly by your Customer Service Representative
(CSR) to verify the status of your ticket inventory and to place orders for Instant tickets, bet cards, and terminal
supplies. Your order will be delivered by UPS and will contain a shipping manifest. It is your responsibility to verify
the contents against the manifest, and to scan the bar code on the Instant ticket package or manifest to confirm
the Instant ticket delivery. Any discrepancies should be promptly reported to your CSR. Prior to selling from an
issued book of tickets, the book must be placed into active status using your lottery terminal. Once activated, the
book can be sold and winners cashed. All Instant tickets that are sold over the counter must be deactivated at the
end of the business day. Ticket deactivation prevents them from having a value if stolen, and protects you from
financial liability.
Security
Retailers are financially responsible for all issued tickets and are encouraged to secure all Lottery tickets,
equipment and supplies.
Equipment Relocation
If you need to move any of your lottery machines, please contact your LSR for assistance.
Insurance of Lottery Equipment
As part of the application process to become a retailer, you signed an Indemnification Agreement. By signing this
agreement, you acknowledged that you are responsible for reimbursing the Lottery for any damage to the
equipment, including full replacement of any equipment that is not repairable. Please contact your regional office
for the replacement value of your equipment.
Amber Alert
An Amber Alert message is mandatory and must be read immediately. You will not be able to perform any further
terminal functions until the message is read. When you receive an Amber Alert message, print the message and
display it prominently in the store. Further updates will be provided as they become available.
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TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Touch the [PHONE NUMBERS] icon from the Admin Menu. The telephone numbers window
displays with contact information for retailers and players.
Intralot Hotline 1-866-710-4262
Monday through Saturday 7:00 A.M. -11:00 P.M.
Sunday 7:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.
OLC Customer Service (toll free) 1-800-686-4208
Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Lottery Security 1-216-774-5757
Monday – Friday 5:45 A.M. – 12:00 A.M.
Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline 1-800-589-9966
Winning Numbers Information Line 1-800-589-6446 (24/7)
When you have questions that have not been addressed by calling the numbers above, you can
also contact your Lottery Regional Office.
Cleveland
(216) 774-5671 1100 Resource Dr, Brooklyn Heights, 44131
Toledo
1-800-589-6442 315 Arco Drive, Toledo, 43607
Dayton
1-800-589-6463 7462 Webster Street, Dayton, 45414
Cincinnati
1-800-589-9883 10840 Kenwood Rd, Cincinnati 45242
Columbus
1-800-589-6445 780 Morrison Rd, Columbus, 43230
Athens
1-800-589-6466 170 W. Union Street, Athens 45701
Akron-Canton 1-800-589-6467 5926 Mayfair Road, North Canton, 44720
Youngstown
1-800-589-6468 242 Federal Plaza West, Youngstown, 44503
Lorain
1-800-589-6469 300 West Erie & Broadway, Lorain 44052
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DRAWING SCHEDULE
Pool Closes
12:25 PM
Drawing
Held
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
12:29 PM
Approx.
7:00 PM
7:05 PM
7:29 PM
7:25 PM
(approx.
7:45 PM –
Sat. Night)
10:00 PM
11:00 PM
10:45 PM
11:00 PM
KENO drawings are held every 4 minutes from 6:04 a.m. to 2:28 a.m., daily.
Ohio Lottery drawings are aired Monday through Friday at 7:29 p.m., and on Saturday during the game show.
Cash Explosion is aired on Saturday’s at 7:30 pm.
Saturday Night Pool Closings and draws are as follows:
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•
Pool Closes at 7 pm for Rolling Cash 5, Classic Lotto and Kicker.
Kicker is drawn immediately after the pool closes. Rolling Cash 5 and Classic Lotto are drawn at approx.
7:05
Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 are drawn after 7:45 at a commercial break during the show.
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Stations and markets that broadcast the evening Lottery drawings and game show are
shown below:
• WKYC-TV3, NBC Cleveland
• WTVG-TV13, ABC Toledo
• WRGT-TV45 FOX/WKEF-TV22 ABC Dayton
• WSAZ-TV3, Huntington
• WHIZ-TV18, Zanesville
• WFMJ-TV21, Youngstown
• WTOV-TV9, Steubenville
• WCPO-TV9, Cincinnati
• WTTE-TV28/WSYX-TV6, Columbus
• ELIO-TV9/EOHL-TV11/WOHL-TV12, Lima
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MANAGING YOUR LOTTERY ACCOUNT/FINANCIALS
License Renewals
Your initial license is valid for one year and must be renewed on an annual basis. A license renewal package will be
mailed to you 30 days prior to the license expiration date.
Bond Renewals
The Lottery must receive the renewed lottery bond 14 days prior to the bond cancellation date.
If you require assistance obtaining a bond, the Lottery has a list of providers. You can contact the Lottery’s office
of Licensing and Bonding for this information.
Sale of Business
If you intend to sell your business, you should give the Lottery 60 days notice. This will give the Lottery time to
obtain and process a new application from the buyer of your business. The notification should be sent in writing to
your regional Lottery office.
Reconciliation
The Lottery business week runs from 12:00 a.m. Sunday to 11:59 p.m. Saturday, with wager processing capability
24 hours a day.
You are required to make weekly deposits of Online and Instant game proceeds into your designated Lottery
account. This account is electronically debited or credited on a weekly basis.
The Lottery terminal provides many reports to help retailers reconcile lottery activity. The Lottery suggests that
you reconcile during a shift change and on a daily basis. At the end of the week, each retailer must print and verify
the Weekly Invoice Report which provides a record of lottery activity for the previous week and the amount due
the Lottery (see the following examples). This report can be taken after 6 a.m. on Sunday.
Deposits
Your weekly Invoice Report will show the total amount due to the lottery. The funds need to be available for
withdrawal prior to noon on Monday. Any time funds are not available for transfer the retailer will receive a Strike
and be charged a fee. If you have questions or have been notified of an NSF on your Lottery account, please call
your regional office.
Remitting Payment
When a book of tickets is completely sold, it needs to be marked sold through the terminal. Proceeds from the
sale of lottery tickets are due to the Lottery upon their sale. It is your responsibility to ensure that those funds are
in your lottery account at the time the Lottery conducts its Electronic Funds Transfer. All books activated for 65
days, or a period set by the Ohio Lottery, will be automatically settled by the Lottery.
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At that time, the Lottery will charge the total book value, minus the 5.5 percent commission, to your invoice. To
ensure additional inventory, please mark all outstanding books as sold. The number of books a retailer is
consigned is based on the store’s sales.
Floating Instant Tickets
Retailers should mark sold books according to Lottery Policy and Procedures. Any book that is not marked sold at
the correct time is considered in a “float” condition. If this occurs, your LSR will ask for the books(s) in question to
be processed as sold. Only retailers are permitted to process book(s) as sold. A float situation must be resolved
before more tickets can be issued.
Instant Game Final Settlement and Mark-Sold
Each Instant game has a defined sales cycle. At the end of this sales cycle, the Lottery performs a final settlement.
During this period, called final settlement, you are offered an opportunity to return all unsold inventory of the
game. You will receive the dates and games included in final settlement on a regular basis. At the end of final
settlement, all inventory in your possession will be processed as marked sold and payment will be due to the
Lottery.
Retailer Request for Reimbursement
Retailers may pay prizes on tickets that generate a Cash/Pay receipt only. Retailers who mistakenly pay customers
on winning tickets that generate any of the other payment receipts may submit a request for reimbursement. The
retailer must submit the receipt and original ticket along with the necessary paper work and a $25 processing fee
(paid by money order or EFT) for all reimbursements.
Cash Advance
A retailer can receive a cash advance if the store’s cashes exceed sales by $1,000 or more on the week-to-date
report. Notify your regional office before 10 a.m. to receive the cash advance.
The money will be credited to your account the same day.
Changing Your Bank Account
Contact your regional office when you want to change the location of your Lottery bank account, or
www.ohiolottery.com to download an EFT form. The regional office will notify you when the new account can be
used for Lottery transactions.
Incident Reports
Within 24 hours of an incident, report lost, stolen or destroyed tickets or equipment to the local police
department and your regional office. When a portion of a book is reported stolen, lost or destroyed, immediately
discontinue selling the book until the Lottery authorizes the sale of the remaining tickets.
In case of a fire, file a report within 24 hours with the local fire department and provide the Lottery with a copy of
the fire department report.
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Credit
Retailers may receive credit for stolen tickets provided they are un-cashed and/or were deactivated.
Sight Validation
Sight validation is prohibited. All tickets must be validated through the Lottery terminal. No prize may be paid if a
ticket is stolen, altered, torn or mutilated.
Non-conforming or defective tickets should be returned to your lottery sales representative for credit.
Tickets that do not have an intact barcode should not be cashed If you have a question about cashing damaged
instant tickets contact the lottery hotline.
Redeemed Tickets
All redeemed tickets must be destroyed or defaced immediately after balancing on the Lottery ticket system.
If Faced With A Theft
Immediately follow the steps below:
Deactivate the affected book(s).
Record the name of anyone you speak with for future reference concerning your incident report.
Contact the local police department and complete a police report. Write down your report number.
Complete a Stolen or Destroyed Ticket Report and Statement of Retailer Affidavit provided by your LSR. Write
down your report number.
Obtain a copy of the police report and give it to your LSR within 30 days. Late police reports justify denial
of stolen ticket credit.
Notify your regional office and the Lottery’s Office of Security as soon as possible.
Call the Customer Call Center immediately if you experience a terminal problem while generating or validating
tickets. Retailers can submit Retailer Requested Adjustment forms for investigation of Online ticket questions,
and possible credit.
These forms are provided by your sales representative, regional office, or www.ohiolottery.com. Below are
guidelines to follow when requesting credit.
If misprinted or defective Instant tickets are discovered, contact your Lottery Sales Representative or Regional
Office for further assistance.
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TERMINAL MALFUNCTION ADJUSTMENT
When the terminal is disabled while a transaction is in process and no ticket is issued, the retailer should contact
the vendor hotline and complete a Retailer Requested Online Adjustment form to request an adjustment. Not
following adjustment criteria is a reason to deny a credit request.
If a jam occurs during a wager transaction, adjust the paper stock and make a reprint immediately. The reprinted
ticket(s) and the original ticket (or parts of the ticket) are also required with the Retailer Requested Online
Adjustment form.
A FINAL NOTE:
Your adjustment will appear on the adjustment line of your weekly invoice report. Read all the
instructions on the front of the Retailer Requested Adjustment form.
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COMMISSIONS AND BONUSES
The Ohio Lottery offers selling bonuses to retailers for selling top prize winning tickets in the following situations:
Instant Tickets and Game Show Selling Bonuses
To qualify for a selling bonus, the top prize of the instant game must be $100,000 or more. The selling bonus is 1%
of the top prize with a cap of $10,000. The game show selling bonus is 1% of the championship contestant’s total
winnings (excludes bonus prize winnings).
Rolling Cash 5
A $500 bonus is paid for selling a Rolling Cash 5 ticket with a 5-of-5 match.
Classic Lotto
A $1,000 bonus is paid for selling a Classic Lotto ticket with a 6-of-6 match.
KICKER
A $1,000 bonus is paid for selling the winning KICKER match.
Mega Millions*
The selling bonus is $1,000 per one million dollars of (Ohio’s share) of the advertised jackpot. The selling bonus is
shared equally by the Ohio lottery retailers who sold winning jackpot tickets for a specific drawing. The minimum
bonus is $10,000 with a cap of $100,000 per jackpot. The retailer(s) selling the Mega Millions $250,000 prize will
receive a $1,000 bonus per winning ticket.
Powerball*
The selling bonus is $1,000 per one million dollars of (Ohio’s share) of the advertised jackpot. The selling bonus is
shared equally by the Ohio lottery retailers who sold winning jackpot tickets for a specific drawing. The minimum
bonus is $10,000 with a cap of $100,000 per jackpot. The retailer(s) selling the Powerball 5 + 0 match will receive a
$1,000 bonus per winning ticket.
*Winning Megaplier and Power Play second tier prizes do not receive an extra bonus.
Raffle
$5,000 selling bonus is paid to the retailer(s) for selling a $1 million top prize Raffle game ticket (selling bonuses
for this game can change).
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The Ohio Lottery records commissions and bonuses earned by retailers in separate line items on the Invoice
Report. Each January, you will receive a 1099 Miscellaneous for tax filing purposes. The statement shows your
Lottery income for the previous year.
Sales Commission - A 5.5 percent commission is paid on the sale of Lottery tickets.
Cashing Commission - A 1 percent cashing commission is paid for tickets cashed weekly. If the cash-to-sales ratio
is 49.5 percent or greater, an additional 0.5 percent bonus commission is paid. The lottery account must show
sales in order to receive a cashing bonus. This is automatically calculated on the weekly invoice report.
Claim Bonuses - A $5 claim bonus is paid for validating and assisting a customer with a winning ticket that
produces a Pay To Bearer or File Claim receipt. The Retailer assists the customer with completion of the claim
form and directions for the nearest bank cashing location for a Pay To Bearer receipt or with a File Claim receipt
directs the customer to the nearest Regional Office for claim processing. The claims bonus is reflected on the
weekly invoice report.
Liability Limit Alerts
When a Keno Agent reaches a Limit 1 which is 75 percent of their weekly liability limit:
1) Sales Management will email all Limit 1 Alert Notifications during normal business hours to local Regional
management and the LSR detailing the limit(s) reached and the balance remaining.
2) The local Regional Office or the LSR during normal business hours will call the location explaining that they
have reached limit 1 which is 75 percent of their weekly online sales, less weekly online cashes and weekly online
cancels. They will inform them that if they hit limit 2 which is 100 percent of their weekly liability limit their
terminal(s) will automatically suspend sales however they will still be able to cash tickets and that cashing tickets
will in-turn lower their liability, which will allow the terminal(s) to resume selling. They will also inform them that
to avoid a Terminal Suspension other than cashing tickets they can increase their liability deposit amount by
increments of $250.00 during normal Lottery business hours. This can be done by contacting their Lottery Sales
Representative or local Regional Office.
When a Keno Agent reaches a Limit 2 which is 100 percent of their weekly liability limit:
1) Sales Management will email all Limit 2 Alert Notifications during normal business hours to local Regional
management and the LSR detailing the limit(s) reached and the balance remaining.
2) The local Regional Office or the LSR during normal business hours will call the location explaining that they are
still be able to cash tickets and that cashing tickets will in-turn lower their liability, which will allow the terminal(s)
to resume selling. They will also inform them that to avoid a Terminal Suspension other than cashing tickets they
can increase their liability deposit amount by increments of $250.00 during normal Lottery business hours. This
can be done by contacting their Lottery Sales Representative or local Regional Office.
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INVOICE REPORT
To access your Invoice Report:
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•
Touch the admin icon on the main game screen.
You’ll be taken to the administrative menu.
•
Touch the Managers Reports icon. You will be
prompted by a screen to enter your [manager ID]
(enter six-digit retailer number), and then asked
to enter your terminal pass code (the same one
you are currently using).
•
Touch [current weekly invoice] or [previous
weekly invoice] so you know how much money
you need to have in your Lottery bank account.
•
The Lottery sweeps your account for both
Instant and Online activity every Tuesday at
noon.
•
Net Due - Get a summary of what you owe, for
both Instant and Online, at the top of the report.
The third line from the top shows the total net
due for the weekly deposit into the lottery
account.
•
Sales/Cashes by game - Get a detailed
breakdown of sales and cashes by Online game
here.
•
Online game sales summary - View gross and net
sales for Online games here.
•
The Lottery collects a $12 communications fee
every week. The license fee is collected only
once, when you first get a license. The license fee
is billed on the first invoice of the newly licensed
location.
•
Details on instant games - Note sales, book
settlements, cashes, bonuses and other
adjustments to determine Instant net due.
CUSTOMER RELATIONS/FINANCES
Sales of Lottery Products to Minors
Lottery Retailers are prohibited from selling lottery tickets to minors.
When a Ticket Will Not Validate
The terminal will display information regarding the problem. Typical messages include, but are not limited to,
previously cashed or drawings not held.
Previously Cashed
The ticket was already cashed. Do not pay the customer.
Ticket validated at another terminal
This message indicates the ticket presented was cashed by another retailer. Call the Customer Call Center for
further instructions. Do not pay the customer. A retailer cannot be reimbursed for proceeds paid on a ticket that
could not be validated on the Lottery terminal, or without the assistance of Lottery Customer Call Center.
If A Customer Disputes Your Findings
Give the person the ticket back and provide a claim form. The customer needs to complete the claim form and
check the box at the top for Inquiry. The completed claim form and the ticket in question needs to be mailed for
review by the lottery using the address on the back of the form.
180 Day Validation Period
Winning tickets must be validated and presented for payment within (a) 180 days from the announced closing
date of the game for Instant tickets, (b) 180 days from the draw date for all Online tickets or (c) 180 days from the
day the EZ Play ticket was printed. Remind customers that the period of 180 calendar days is not equal to six
months. Instant game closing dates are available on the web site at www.ohiolottery.com.
Prize Tax Withholdings
The Ohio Lottery is required to notify both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the State of Ohio for any
individual winning wager of $600 or more. The winner will receive a W-2G for federal and state tax filing purposes
for any individual prize of $600 and up.
Ohio Lottery prizes of more than $5,000 are subject to state and federal tax withholdings. Winners should check
with their local municipality to find out if local taxes apply to Lottery winnings.
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Group Claims/ Non Resident
Groups have a number of options for claiming prizes. Have them contact the Lottery’s Customer Call Center or
the nearest regional office.
Non-Resident Alien/Foreign Winner
A non-resident winner cannot use the bank cashing program and must go to a regional office to claim a prize.
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CASHING LOTTERY TICKETS
Scanning the Ticket Using the Reader
The scanner will only accept a ticket for validation on the main gaming screen or the administration menu screen.
Place the ticket under the bar code reader, making sure the ticket is face up so that the laser light can scan
the bar code, on the bottom of the ticket.
The Cash screen displays the results.
Or
Insert the ticket, face up, into the terminal scanner.
The terminal is set with a cash confirmation level of $50. To change this amount, see the Utilities Menu, then
Store Manager Utilities. If the ticket is a winner and has a prize value less than or equal to $50, the terminal will
automatically send the cash request to the central system for processing and print a receipt. If the ticket has a
prize value of greater than $50, a pop-up window will ask you if you want to proceed. Tell the customer the prize
amount. Do not return the ticket to the customer. If the customer requests a receipt from the Lottery terminal, go
to ADMIN, Reprint, and Last Cash to print a copy for the customer.
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The original ticket and the Cash Pay receipt are to be stapled together and held in the cash drawer until the
drawer is balanced. Do not return the original ticket to the customer when cash is paid.
If the cashing confirmation is set at $50 and the prize is under $50, the cashing receipt prints automatically. The
default cashing confirmation ($50) can be changed to a lower amount ($1 -$49) which will cause a pop up window
to ask if you want to proceed.
A Multi-Draw ticket is cashed the same way as a single drawing ticket; however, when you validate a Multi-Draw
ticket, if there are valid drawings remaining, an Exchange Ticket is automatically printed. The Exchange Ticket
contains the same ticket information as the original ticket with the exception of the drawing period, which is
changed to reflect the valid upcoming drawing dates.
Using the Lottery terminal to validate and cash tickets is the only way to verify that a ticket is a legitimate winner and to
ensure that your business receives proper credit for paying a winner or handling a claim.
Winning tickets can be validated the day of the drawing with the exception of Mega Millions/Megaplier and Powerball/Power
Play which can be cashed the next day. Instant tickets can be validated immediately upon purchase.
Following are the different types of payment receipts generated when a winning ticket is validated through the terminal. The
receipt also provides direction on the action you must take to complete the service. Complete processing instructions are also
printed on the back of any claim form and are available at www.ohiolottery.com.
Top Prize Drawing (TPD) Claims:
TPD prizes of $2,000 or $2,500 will generate a pay-to-bearer and can be paid at a bank cashing location. TPD prizes of $5,500
will be processed according to the file claim instructions. Once a claim is completed and processed, the winner is
automatically entered into the TPD drawing.
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CASH/PAY RECEIPTS
The Cash/Pay receipt is the only type of receipt that permits a retailer to pay cash prizes directly to a winner. All other payment
receipts require a claim form and additional processing steps.
The retailer is required to pay the customer the amount of the winning ticket, up to $599 for each winning wager. That means
that the maximum value of this type of receipt could be as high as $5,990 if the ticket had 10 winning wagers of $599 each.
Refer to the Cash Advance section under Managing Your Lottery Account in this handbook. You can contact your regional
office to secure a cash advance for these higher payouts.
A retailer must ensure that funds are available to pay the winner prior to validation. The Lottery terminal is equipped with a
cash confirmation screen that will verify whether you wish to proceed with cashes over a certain dollar amount. The default
setting is $50.
The retailer retains both the ticket and the Cash/Pay receipt until the retailer’s internal accounting procedures are satisfied. At
that time, the ticket and receipt should be defaced and discarded.
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Pay To Bearer Receipt
•
A winning wager of $600 to $5,000 will generate a
Pay to Bearer receipt. This receipt allows the winner
to receive payment from an authorized Lottery bank
cashing location.
•
Bank Cash Payment - The customer completes a
notarized claim form, and submits the form, the
original bet ticket and signed Pay to Bearer receipt
for payment at an authorized bank cashing location.
Most banks offer the ability to notarize claims. The
winner must have proper identification (valid driver’s
license or State I.D. with a current address and proof
of the social security number). For a complete list of
acceptable forms of identification, go to
www.ohiolottery.com. The banks charge customers a
processing fee for each claim filed.
•
Lottery Check Payment (Warrant) - The customer
completes a claim form and mails these three items
to the Lottery for check payment processing: (1.) the
notarized claim form, (2.) the signed Pay to Bearer
receipt and (3.) the original bet ticket. The Lottery
will process payment within 3 weeks.
File Claim Form Receipt
State Issued Check
•
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Any individual wager winning more than $5,000 will
generate a File Claim receipt. The winner must
complete a claim form and attach the signed
original ticket and signed File Claim receipt. This
information must then be sent to the Lottery Claims
Department or filed at one of the Lottery’s regional
or central offices. The winner will receive a check for
the prize minus any required tax withholdings.
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Defective or Non-Conforming Ticket Policy and Procedure
Sales
SA-06-02 A.2
June 2009
POLICY
Lottery Retailers are not responsible for defective or non-conforming instant tickets.
BACKGROUND
The Ohio Lottery Commission (“Lottery”) periodically receives information regarding instant tickets
that are defective, contain imperfections or are misprinted. The following procedures will be utilized
in an effort to streamline the reporting of misprinted, defective or nonconforming tickets. They will
allow the proper offices to quickly apply their expertise in correcting incidents of misprints, defective
or nonconforming tickets.
Incidents of misprinted, defective or nonconforming tickets are generally identified via a Lottery
Customer complaint or Lottery Retailer. In addition, sample books of each game are also
forwarded to the Instant Ticket testing vendor as well as the Instant Ticket Bureau to inspect each
game for misprinted, defective or nonconforming tickets.
PROCESS
The Instant Ticket Product Manager will immediately follow up with the Instant Ticket Printing
Vendor responsible for the misprint, defective or nonconforming ticket(s), and request a written
explanation of the specific extent of the problem, why the problem occurred and what preventative
measures are being put in place.
Upon receipt of the vendor’s explanation regarding the problem, the Instant Ticket Product Manager
will forward a copy of the explanation to the Office of Sales, the Office of Legal Counsel and the
Office of Security and any other party in need of such documentation. If necessary, the Office of
Legal Counsel or the Office of Security may seek independent review of the problem through the
Lottery’s instant ticket testing vendor.
The Director, Designee, or Deputy Director of Sales, will instruct all affected Regional Staff to
retrieve all instant tickets identified to have a misprint or that are defective or nonconforming from
the Lottery Retailers. If retrieval of the tickets from the field is required, the Security Director shall
also be notified.
The Instant Ticket Warehouse and Distribution Vendor will also be notified to stop delivery of the
game in question.
The Sales Director or designee will contact the Regional Staff regarding the misprint, defective or
nonconforming ticket(s) to identify whether the problems is pervasive (i.e. statewide or regional) and
in conjunction with the Office of Security, will calculate the number of tickets affected with the
problem.
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Ticket Theft Policy
Security
EXSE – 00-02 A.2
July 2009
Purpose
This policy addresses the Ohio Lottery Commission guidelines for lost, stolen or destroyed
instant ticket reporting and reimbursement.
If tickets are missing from shipments or
shipments have not been received, refer to the Delivery Problems Procedure document located
in the Sales section on the Lottery Intranet.
Policy
Instant Ticket Management
Lottery Retailers are responsible for all tickets issued to them. Retailers are expected to
maintain the inventory in a secure location as required by the Ohio Revised Code.
Retailers will not be reimbursed for money stolen out of any Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) or
cash register.
Procedures
When a Retailer is aware of lost, stolen or destroyed tickets, they should conduct an immediate
inventory to assess the extent of the loss. If individual tickets are missing from a book, the
Retailer must immediately deactivate the remaining tickets within that book. If full books of
tickets are missing, the Retailer should attempt to identify the Game and Serial Number of the
missing books. For their protection, Retailers are required to deactivate all instant tickets at the
end of the business day if they are sold over the counter. Deactivation of instant tickets would
prevent stolen tickets from being cashed.
Reporting Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Tickets to the Lottery
Retailers must report lost, stolen, or destroyed tickets, within 24 hours of detection, to their
Lottery Regional Office, which will then notify the Lottery Office of Security. If an incident
occurs after normal business hours, retailers should contact the Lottery Customer Call Center at
1-800-686-4208. The Lottery Customer Call Center will then submit a detailed message to the
Lottery Office of Security, outlining the retailer number, store-contact personnel, and a list of
lost/stolen/destroyed tickets no later than the next business day.
Retailers should be prepared to provide their Agent number and a list of stolen or destroyed
tickets and books or should have an inventory of books still on hand.
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When tickets are reported lost, stolen or destroyed, the missing or damaged tickets are placed
in a holding status pending investigation. The Retailer will be unable to activate, deactivate or
mark sold the book until the investigation is completed. Once the stolen-ticket report has been
made, the remaining tickets in the book can be sold. The retailer may activate other books of
the same game by contacting the Office of Security for assistance. The Office of Security will
contact the Retailer when the investigation is completed.
Reporting Stolen Tickets to the Authorities
Retailers must file a report with the police or fire department concerning the lost, stolen or
destroyed tickets within 24 hours of the incident. In the event that the responsible party is
arrested, the Retailer will be expected to prosecute. The Ohio Lottery will assist the Retailer,
local law enforcement, and the prosecutor any way it can.
The Ohio Lottery must be provided with a copy of the Law Enforcement Report within 30 days
of the incident.
The Director or Designee may determine whether reasonable exceptions to the 24-hour and 30
day reporting requirements should be granted.
Investigation of Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Ticket Reports
Upon receiving a Lost/Stolen Ticket Report, a Lottery Sales Representative will visit the Retailer
location to verify the inventory and to complete a Stolen or Destroyed Ticket Affidavit. Lottery
Security will assign an investigator who will review the Affidavit and Law Enforcement reports.
Reimbursement for Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Tickets
Retailers are financially responsible for all tickets issued to them.
If the lottery investigation determines that the Retailer is not responsible, the Retailer may not
be charged for the lost, stolen or destroyed tickets. When tickets are stolen and the Police
report is titled as a “THEFT,” credit will be determined based on the individual circumstances. A
Retailer may receive credit for lost, stolen or destroyed tickets when they have not been cashed
and they have been properly placed into an inquiry status before any cashing activity occurs.
If the Lottery investigation determines that the Retailer is responsible for lost, stolen or
destroyed tickets that have not been cashed, the Retailer will be charged 80 percent of the
street value of the tickets, for all books. Partial books will be charged at 100 percent of the
street value. The street value of the tickets is the face value of the ticket times the number of
tickets in the book, or partial book reported lost, stolen or destroyed less the retailer
commission. If the Lottery investigation determines that the Retailer is responsible for lost,
stolen or destroyed tickets that have been cashed, the Retailer will be charged 100 percent for
the street value of the tickets, less the retailer commission.
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The following are reasons why a Retailer may not receive credit for lost, stolen or destroyed
tickets.
1. Improper inventory of the original amount of alleged reported lost, stolen or destroyed
tickets.
2. Incident occurred during non-business hours and the tickets were not deactivated.
3. Failure on the part of a Retailer to file a Police or Fire report within 24 hours of the theft,
fire or catastrophe, or to file such a report with the Lottery within 30 days of the
incident.
4. A Retailer or his/her employee is involved in the alleged theft or destruction of the
tickets.
5. A false report filed by a Retailer with the Ohio Lottery Commission or Police/Fire
Department.
6. A Retailer or his/her employee is perpetrating a false insurance claim.
7. Tickets reported lost, stolen or destroyed were cashed.
8. A Retailer has had 3 or more instances of lost, stolen or destroyed tickets within a 6
month period.
Notification:
Lottery Security will complete their investigation within a reasonable time frame, after
receiving the initial stolen report.
Retailers will be notified of any resolution/ disposition.
EFFECTIVE – July 2009
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Retailer Payment Policy
Finance
Policy FI-08-01 A.1
Updated July 1, 2009
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Retailer Strike Policy is to provide uniform and effective guidelines
for managing the non-transfer of funds to the Lottery by Sales Retailers. The Finance
Office will administer the guidelines of this policy. A Retailer is required to have
sufficient funds available for the weekly Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Any time
sufficient funds are not available, the Retailer has a Non-Transfer of Funds (NTF)
situation. When a NTF has occurred, the Retailer will be charged with a strike and
penalties will occur. Retailers who have not brought their accounts current as a result of
any NTF within ten (10) calendar days from the bank return date can face automatic
cancellation. Automatic cancellation of a Sales Retailer license also takes place if five
strikes have accrued during any six-month period.
DEFINITIONS:
Bank Return Date:
The date the Lottery is notified by the bank of a NTF condition.
Deactivation of Terminal:
The Retailer’s terminal will be placed in an inactive status and is suppressed.
Non-Transfer of Funds (NTF):
An insufficient account balance or other reason, which may include, but may not be
limited to, when funds are not available for withdrawal from an Ohio Lottery Retailer
bank account.
Strike:
The Retailer receives a “strike” against his license when an NTF occurs. The Lottery
generates one invoice for Instant and On-line sales. If the funds are not available for
collection of an invoice, the Retailer will receive one strike.
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Strike Period:
Strikes shall remain in the system six months from the bank return date. Once the sixmonth period has expired, the previous NTF strikes will be removed.
Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) Fee:
In an NTF situation, the Retailer will be assessed a fee for every bank return (NTF).
Payment Terms:
Upon notification of an NTF, payment must be made in full by a cash deposit or wire
transfer at any National City Bank/PNC location into the Lottery’s account. The wire or
cash deposit must be done by 2:00 p.m. on the day of the NTF Return. The retailer is to
send a faxed copy of the wire or cash receipt showing the deposit by 2:00 p.m. to
Regional Office’s or Retailer Accounts @ (216)787-3281. If the retailer can
demonstrate that a cash deposit or wire transfer cannot be performed, the Lottery will
accept an official bank check or money order which is to be hand-delivered to the
Regional Office, Lottery Central or sent via overnight mail to: The Ohio Lottery
Commission, Attention: Retailer Accounts Department, 615 West Superior Avenue,
Cleveland, Ohio 44113-1879.
Penalty Period:
The time that elapses between the Retailer’s terminal being deactivated and
subsequently reactivated due to a NTF condition, as provided in the guidelines below.
Any Retailer not making payment of an NTF within ten (10) calendar days of the bank
return date may be subject to cancellation.
POLICY
Policy Statement: Retailers who fail to make payment to the Lottery may be
charged a fee or have their sales capability suspended.
Strike One and Two Notification:
A notice of NTF and deactivation are forwarded to the Regional Office. There is no
deactivation of the terminal if cash, wire, money order or official check evidence is faxed
to a Regional Office or into Lottery Central by 2:00 p.m. of the day of the bank return
date; otherwise deactivation will be initiated until the copy of the payment is received. In
the case of the Retailer making payment by check, the actual check must be received
by the next business day.
Strike Three and Four Notification:
A notice of NTF and deactivation are forwarded to the Regional Office followed by a
certified letter to the Retailer. The Retailer will serve a 24-hour penalty of the
disablement of the terminal after the Lottery Central receives the faxed copy of the
evidence of cash or wire being deposited or official check. The actual check must be
received by the next business day.
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Note: Any Retailer who has a strike three or four on a Friday will be deactivated that
day. If a copy of cash or wire being deposited or official check is faxed to Regional
Offices or to Lottery Central by 2:00 p.m. that day, reactivation will be on Saturday.
Strike Five Notification:
A notification of intent to cancel and right to an adjudication hearing is mailed via a
certified letter to the Retailer. The terminal is deactivated upon receipt of the NTF
notification from the bank. The Retailer will not be reactivated unless full payment is
received by Finance and a written notification is received from the Legal Department
indicating that the Sales Retailer prevailed at the hearing or the matter was otherwise
resolved.
The Lottery reserves the right to deactivate a Retailer’s terminal if payment is not
received within 24 hours of the bank return date, regardless of being in receipt of a fax
copy of payment.
Effective Date: JANUARY 7, 2008
Revision Date: June 2009
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Retailer License Suspension—Seasonal
General Services
AD-00-05 A.2
Revised June 2009
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide uniform and effective guidelines for dealing with those
retailers who are only open for business during a specific period of time each year. Amusement
parks and racetracks are two examples of seasonal retailers.
POLICY
The Ohio Lottery will place Seasonal Retailers into an “Inactive” status during their off-season
period. The Ohio Lottery will not GUARANTEE immediate placement of Lottery gaming
terminals back into the retail location upon receipt of the request to return to an “Active” status.
EFFECTIVE DATE—JANUARY 3, 2000
REVISED September 2006
REVISED June 2009
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Retailer License Suspension—Alteration
General Services
AD-00-04 A.2
Revised July 2009
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Retailer Alteration policy is to provide uniform and effective guidelines for
dealing with those retailers who, due to physical alterations at their facility or business, are not
able to perform the duties of an Ohio Lottery Sales Agent.
DEFINITIONS
“Physical Alterations” are defined as remodeling the Retailer’s facility or business due to
improvement (expand) or repair (fire, water damage) at the Retailer’s facility.
POLICY
The Licensing Bureau may place Retailers into an “Agent-Alteration” status following
notification of facility remodeling by the retailer. Retailers will be granted up to 90 days to
complete alterations and resume distribution of Lottery products.
EFFECTIVE DATE—JANUARY 3, 2000
REVISED—July 2009
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